Nate Nourse will be speaking at the upcoming annual meeting of the New England Vegetable & Berry Grower's Association. The group, founded in 1886, will be holding it's 602nd annual meeting on January 7, 2022. It will be held in Northampton, MA.
https://nevbga.com/winter-growers-meetings/
As it cools off in the northeast, we're reminded that our congenial classmate Hank lives in Miami and attended Art Basel with Fitz Flynn '85 recently...
Your (*ahem*) 40th Reunion Committee held its first meeting in NYC this past weekend and great things are afoot! Be sure to reserve the first part of June 2023 for the festivities.
Doug Schmidt is well in NYC and John Knight appreciates being only a 3 hour train ride away after his move to RI.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours and enjoy the day.
The latest from Denison University President Adam Weinberg.:
Kudos to Whit Sheppard for just deciding to drive out to campus from Boston on Choate Day! Strong showings by all teams led to a thorough trouncing of the Wild Boars, especially V Football on Jim Smith Field, 50-26. This was the 99th rendition of the rivalry so plan on descending on Wallingford, CT next fall for #100!
So glad that Whit was able to bump into Chris Flagg and PB Weymouth too!
In the clash of the catholic universities, the Friars were victorious 80-73.
So Chris Flagg decided he would try to burn some calories...He gets on his Peleton and decides to do a scenic ride in Iceland.
While there, he notices who else is doing that ride and sees JGK83 in Rhode Island on the same ride.
He texts John Knight asking if that is him (it is) and they have a good chuckle that they chose the same ride on the same day at the same time!
No word on who Mermaid_Eats is...
Any others with a Peleton want to do some rides together?
Sean Nottage (Bahamas) continues his voice over work in his home studio and continues to troll Hank Lemieux for content...
and
Paul Magee (Mexico) was back in the Valley recently to connect with his classmates in the area and to fulfill his annual obligation to guard the JW door for 30 seconds...
Turns out John Knight was on campus a few days before the magic of the Steward-Kerr path crossing and took some photos to share.
So Brian Steward was in Deerfield, MA for the fall meeting of the Deerfield Academy Alumni Association Executive Committee this past weekend. As he settled in for a beverage at his place of lodging, the Deerfield Inn, he notices a handsome devil at the registration desk, who turns out to be his classmate, Alex Kerr!
Alex was showing his Los Angeles based daughter some of the east coast options but nothing could have prepared him for his luck in seeing his friend of 40 years.
They set a date to recreate their iconic JW doors photo from 1983 for the next afternoon and the beautiful Pocumtuck Valley did not disappoint. The copy of the original photo didn't do justice to the event, so was omitted.
Congratulations to Brian and Alex, for being the in the ABSOLUTELY BEST SPOT at the same time.
Congratulations to Brian Steward for recently being honored by the San Antonio Bar Association with its Community Service Award. Brian is active in his community and supports healthcare and animal welfare organizations especially.
Thanks to his wife Hannah for posting some great pictures on FB. Kudos to Brian for wearing a (pink? salmon?) Deerfield tie to the event!
And because we can never have enough of Hannah and Brian on the blog, here are two more of the same image to test what is going on with the MailerLite RSS Feed and why photos are blurry in the feed.
Leave it to Don Hindman to be the poster child for humble leadership. As part of his company's support of The Easter Seals Society he set up a dunk tank at the office. Hopefully these three GIFs will render appropriately so you can enjoy the results!
Jim Wareck embarks on his "next chapter". Rumor mill wondering if an appointment at Denison is in his future...
"Hey finally a blog post where i am not stuffing my face with food with classmates. I am teaching a 5 week seminar in indie film producing at Boise state University this Fall as well as leading webinars for a film platform. It is a great opportunity as so much of production has ground to a halt and only slowly coming back and Boise is a great place to be. Please note the DA mask under my BSU mask. The program and I both hope this will be a semi-regular partnership so If any classmates have kids who go to Boise or if any of their friends do, please tell them to enroll and be sure to use the Code "DA83" when registering for 10% grade inflation."
Every once in a while it happens. Two classmates, worlds apart, drawn to the same life experience, but each from their own milieu.
This week's example:
Hank LeMieux, in NYC, observing (as usual) in a restaurant writes a brief synopsis of an interaction. He posts on Facebook. (see #1)
Sean Nottage, in The Bahamas, searches for content with which to practice his voice over skills, this time in audio book format. He chooses Hank's story to practice with. (see .wav file in a Dropbox link as #2).
We give you Booger Pincher, the short story, and Booger Pincher, the audio narration. Enjoy!
#1
JK's move to Rhode Island in August was finally celebrated appropriately: dinner with John Cianciolo. Rhode Island is a small state but JK is happy to have the right friends there...
Here's a photo before JK demolished his lobster roll!
Nate Nourse has published his newsletter on Substack - Here's how to get the latest on Agricultural Issues and Trends!
It includes articles on "Double Cropping Raspberries" and "Water and substrate management for soilless strawberry production."
Enjoy!
Adam Weinberg's latest Op-Ed:
From the LA Times
Two of the most persistent challenges facing the U.S. are a lack of meaningful jobs and growing income inequality. And these problems are only getting worse.
Sure, there are jobs out there, at fast-food restaurants or fulfillment warehouses desperate to hire someone — anyone. But what we really need are meaningful jobs that anchor people. This means positions that pay a livable wage, provide benefits and stability, and enhance skills so that people can eventually move on to even better jobs.
Without a college degree, it’s hard to get one of those meaningful jobs. Those who join the workforce straight out of high school used to have an easier time finding steady, well-paying work. But opportunities — especially in manufacturing — are disappearing or being automated out of existence. According to U.S. census data, workers with bachelor’s degrees earn roughly twice as much as those with high school educations.
“Work” is rapidly bifurcating into meaningful jobs and crummy jobs, which only increases the gap between the haves and the have-nots — and fuels income inequality.
We can’t begin to tame these intertwined problems until we start doing a better job of making college more affordable for lower- and middle-income Americans. That means making sure students can get through college with as little debt as possible, because debt creates problems of its own. We could start by doubling the annual maximum amount of federal financial aid available through Pell Grants, taking it from $6,500 to $13,000.
When the program was established nearly 50 years ago, its $1,400 limit was enough to cover 75% of the cost of attending a four-year public college.
Today, even the most generous Pell Grant only pays for about 28% of the same education. But a $13,000 grant would cover almost 60% of the average cost to attend a four-year public college, and 26% of the average cost to attend a four-year private, nonprofit college.
Schools also have a role to play in bringing the college affordability crisis under control. U.S. colleges with strong admissions pipelines and large endowments need to commit to meeting the financial needs of every student they admit.
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About 75 schools currently promise to meet 100% of students’ demonstrated financial needs. This list includes the Stanfords and Ivies of the world, as well as Denison University, the liberal arts college I lead in Granville, Ohio. But given that there are nearly 4,000 colleges across the country, there’s a lot of room for improvement here. Schools that are in a position to make a difference should make a difference.
Most schools use a combination of grants and federal loans to meet a student’s full demonstrated need. Colleges with resources should use their large and growing endowments to replace loans with grants that don’t need to be paid back.
The hidden and not-so-hidden costs that occur once a student arrives should also be part of the financial aid conversation. They can easily exceed $15,000 on most campuses and can include comprehensive meal plans, books and supplies, and health insurance.
Schools need to move away from the “facilities arms race” that characterized the last few decades and embrace a “financial aid arms race.” A university shouldn’t be measured by how plush its dorms are or how grand the athletic facilities seem, but by how generous its financial aid packages are.
It can happen. It’s a matter of schools taking a hard look at their current endowments and asking: Are we really using them in ways that benefit students the most?
We also need to give families more transparency about how much it costs to attend a particular college. Many families shy away from private colleges because the listed tuition price is not affordable. But these colleges also provide the most financial aid, which means that the average family pays only 46% of the listed price, and lower-income families often pay much less.
In addition, most students start looking at colleges during their junior year of high school but don’t know the actual cost of attending until after they are admitted, often in the spring of their senior year when they may have already made up their minds about where they are going.
There has to be a way for colleges to reveal their true cost earlier in the selection process so families can know which ones they can afford. This is the kind of issue that an organization like the National Assn. for College Admission Counseling could take on because of its mission to influence higher education policy.
The private sector can also help put a college education within reach of more people. Many schools shy away from financial arrangements such as income-sharing agreements, in which a funder basically agrees to bankroll a student in exchange for a cut of the person’s future earnings. Higher-education institutions should not reflexively dismiss such approaches. We should be open to working with entrepreneurs and innovators to develop nontraditional ways for students to be able to afford a college education.
College affordability and income inequality are inextricably linked. Putting a college education within reach of more people will go a long way toward making society more equitable.
Adam Weinberg is the president of Denison University in Granville, Ohio.
Congratulations to junior Lindsey Cruikshank (l) and freshman Brady Pattee (r) for both attending Denison University this year! Daughters of DA '83 making their mark at Adam Weinberg's school...
Thanks to Doug Cruikshank for the photo! He's in the middle...
Whit Sheppard posted about the "2nd annual West Chop Club Pro-Am on the Vineyard. Thx to David McNamara and his great team for doing all the nitty-gritty to make it happen, to the amazing pros who made we amateurs feel like kings for a day and to my clutch partner, the young Aussie Jeremy Taylor, headed back to Memphis U. to wreak havoc upon AAC opponents. And to the winners, Will Willis and former world #21 John Lloyd, who proved too tough for Jeremy and I to overcome twice in the same day. ‘Til next year!"
cropped photo shows Whit on the right, and bonus alum, George Loenig '84, on the left...
I've reposted the note from yesterday to see if the revised RSS feed will now deliver it to you!
Thanks for your patience.
Jim Wareck and John Knight simultaneously descended on Northampton, MA recently for lunch with Eric Suher. All are well and were happy to be back in each other's company.
Jim Wareck and John Knight simultaneously descended on Northampton, MA recently for lunch with Eric Suher. All are well and were happy to be back in each other's company.
Let's see if this post successfully gets distributed via the new RSS feed.
Original RSS feed has been deleted, new one created. This is another test, in the hopes that you get another email from the blog. It will look different. It also should include a poll question in the email (not this post).
Thanks for putting up with my testing. Hang in there for actual class content! (feel free to send anytime!).
JK
I found a new RSS feed provider and need to test it with a new post. This is that new post.
problems? email JK at jgknight83 AT gmail.com. (AT=@)
So Google is sunsetting the email subscription feature that this blog has used for years. I haven't thought much about the proper substitute or alternative method of collecting new subscribers. Any ideas from the class? email JK at jgknight83@gmail.com.
So if we go quiet for a while and you get an email inviting you to subscribe again, you'll know why.
Thanks for the support!
Chuck attended Mt. Carmel Elementary in Willimansett and graduated from Holy Rosary High School in Holyoke in 1948. After completing a post graduate year at Suffield Academy in CT, he matriculated at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where he was a member of the varsity football team and the ROTC. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and following graduation, and his marriage to Kathleen Wierciszewski, he began a three-year tour of duty at Camp Lejeune, NC. He retired at the rank of first lieutenant in 1956.
Chuck began what was to be his life-long career as a professional athletic trainer in 1956 in Minor League Baseball. He worked first for the New Orleans, LA Pelicans (a NY Yankee affiliate) and then with the Springfield, MA Giants (a San Francisco affiliate). He decided that a career in professional sports was not a good fit for his family and he accepted a position at his alma mater. After three years at UMass, he moved north to Deerfield Academy where he spent the next thirty-five years, retiring in 1999.
While at Deerfield, Chuck was fortunate to be able to take time away from the Academy, not only because of the school year schedule, but also because of the unwavering support of the school's administration, to pursue many professional development opportunities. He served as a trainer for the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich and the 1975 Pan American Games in Mexico City. He was appointed to the 1980 Moscow Games, but the US boycotted that event. Chuck was the coordinator of medical staff at the 1980 Winter Games in Lake Placid. He was also a host trainer at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Chuck spent many summers at NFL training camps, working with the New York Jets, the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots. After retiring from Deerfield, he was a volunteer football trainer for the University of New Hampshire's football team, where his grandsons Brian and Brent Barbato played, for seven years. Chuck came full circle in 2007, as the last group of athletes to benefit from his seasoned skills were the members of the UMass football team.
Chuck was a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) for over 60 years. He was inducted into the NATA Hall of Fame in 1983, and the Athletic Trainers of MA Hall of Fame in 2010. Colleagues would attribute his success to his passion, tremendous work ethic, and commitment to professional development, as well as his devotion to the well -being of his charges, whether they were high school, college, Olympic or professional athletes. Chuck was humbled by the extraordinary opportunities and accolades afforded him and he commented often how fortunate he was to have a career he loved.
Chuck, a devout Catholic, was a communicant at the Holy Family Parish in South Deerfield, MA. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and the South Deerfield Polish American Club, where he enjoyed participating in Pitch tournaments. Chuck was an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Celtics and fishing. He held the family record for catching the largest fish.
Chuck's greatest love was the one he felt for his family. He was a patient, kind, generous and caring patriarch and a wonderful example to his heirs. They loved his dry sense of humor and greatly appreciated his sage advice and unwavering support. Chuck is survived by his wife of 67 years, Kathleen, of Sunderland, MA. She was the love of his life, his best friend, a loyal supporter of his many adventures away from home, and a kind and patient caregiver during the last chapter of his life. He also leaves three daughters, Kathleen Barbato and husband, Dennis, of Plymouth, MA; Debra Dohrmann of Rockport, ME; and Lisa Wesolowski and husband, John, of Hampton, NH; his grandchildren, Brian Barbato and wife, Carly, of Deerfield, MA; Brent Barbato and wife, Julia, of Salisbury, CT; Bridgette Malinosky and husband, Tim, of Plymouth, MA; Benjamin Dohrmann and wife, Katherine, of Pasadena, CA; Anna McIver and husband, Matthew, of Rockport, ME ; Matthew Wesolowski and wife, Jennifer, of West Islip, NY and Jocelyn Wesolowski, of Manchester, NH; and his great-grandchildren, Charlie, Teddy, Blair, Bryn, Annika, Caleb, Alma, Benji, Sophia and Olivia. He was predeceased by an infant daughter, Julie Ann, and a son-in-law, Richard Dohrmann. He also leaves his special aunt and uncle, Doris and Roger Simard of Ludlow, MA and many cousins.
Funeral services will be private. Wrisley Funeral Home is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a scholarship fund in memory of Chuck Demers to be awarded to a student/athlete from Frontier Regional School through the South Deerfield Polish American Citizens Club, P.O. Box 154, South Deerfield, MA 01373.
Great job to Bob Fitzpatrick and Whit Sheppard!
Whit Sheppard sent this from Acapulco where he is on Spring Break with his daughter. Enjoy!
I'm sure you'll be receiving plenty of email from DA about the giving day on Thursday - but let me be the first to encourage your participation with a video plea (which I can't get to load...) Links for the video and the GIVING page are below. As seen on my Facebook page - I'll give DA $83 for every 10 classmates that make a gift by Thursday night.
The JK video plea: https://www.givecampus.com/n7aup3
The giving page: https://www.givecampus.com/nygx40
Both are looking good and are hopeful for 2021.
Happy New Year to all in '83!
